# shudder

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈʃʌd.ə/ · frequency rank #25,205

## Definitions
1. To shake nervously, often from fear or horror.
2. To vibrate jerkily.

## Etymology
From Middle English schoderen, from Middle Dutch schudderen and/or Middle Low German schodderen, iterative forms of the verb at hand in Dutch schudden, Low German schüdden (both “to shake”), German schütten (“to pour”), from Proto-Germanic *skudjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *skewdʰ-. From Low German are also borrowed German schaudern (“to shudder”), Danish skudre.

## Easily confused with
- **sudden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shudder-vs-sudden)
- **shutter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shudder-vs-shutter)
- **studded** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shudder-vs-studded)
- **sadder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sadder-vs-shudder)
- **shader** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shader-vs-shudder)
- **scudder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scudder-vs-shudder)
- **shoulder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shoulder-vs-shudder)
- **shredder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shredder-vs-shudder)

## Common misspellings (9)
`hsudder`, `shduder`, `shhudder`, `shudderr`, `shuddre`, `shudedr`, `shuder`, `sshudder`, `suhdder`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shudder